Apparatus for indicating the volumetric flow of a gas.



E. E. WERNER.

APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE VOLUMETRIC FLOW OF A GAS.

APPLlCATION FILED NOV. 24 I915.

Patented Nov. 28, 1 916.

MT EVER LEVEL ERNEST E. WERNER OF ST. LOU'IS, 1V[IS SOURI.

Application filed November 24, 1915.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST E. WERNER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Indicating the Volumetric Flow of a Gas, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for indicating the volumetric flow of a gas, and has for its general object to provide a device for the stated purpose which shall be simple and compact in construction, and which will enable the volume of gas flowing from the apparatus to be quickly and reliably ascertained by mere observation.

Other objects of the invention relate to details of construction and to combina tions and arrangements of parts which will more clearly appear from the specification to follow.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of my improved ap aratus; and Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale of the lower end of the indicator tube.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates a reservoir which is of glass and vertically disposed. Toward its upper end this reservoir is provided with an enlargement 2 affording an expansion chamber with which connects an integral bulbular extension 3 serving as a receivingchamher for the gas. Communicating with the receiving chamber 3 is a tube 4 having one or more drainage bulbs 5, 6, provided in its length and which is continued above said drainage bulbs to provide a gas discharge outlet 7. The outlet tube 7 is hermetically inclosed within a housing 8 having lateral tubular extensions 9, 10, respectively, the former providing an inlet for air to the housing 8, and the latter an outlet for mixed air and gas. As will be understood, rubber pipes, or other forms of conduits, will be connected to the ends of the tubes 9 and 10, the one for conveying air to the housing 8, and the other-for conducting the mixed air and gas to the place of application.

Hermetically secured on the upper end of the receiving chamber 3 and extending downward through said chamber and into the expansion chamber 2, is a glass tube 11 which communicateset its upper end with Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. as, rain.

Serial No. 63,197.

a relief bulb 12, with the upper side of j which latter communicates agas inlet pipe 13. The lower portion of the tubell is in the form of a series of connected, spherically-shaped chambers 14, each of which is provided near its upper end with an opening 15, said openings being arranged alternately at opposite sides of the indicator tube. The lower end portion of the" reservoir 1 is constricted to tubular form, as in dicated at 16, and in the tubular portion 16 is provided a. valve 17 which may he opened to permit water to be supplied to the reservoir or to be discharged therefrom when desired.

To prevent undue vibration of the indi cator tube 11 which may cause breakage, the lower end portion of said tube is attenuated to,extend slightly within the tubular portion 16 and is provided at such end with an annular series of projections 18, which will engage the side walls of the tubular portion .16 and prevent excessive vibration of the tubular member 11.

The apparatus above described is intended primarily for use in supplying a gas, such as chlorin, to flour for the purpose of whitening and otherwise improving the latter, and operates as follows: The reservoir 1 being supplied with water to about the height indicated, and the tube 13 connected to a source of chlorin gas under pressure,-

the gas is permitted to enter the tube 11. Assuming the pressure of the gas to be sufiicient, the water in the tube 11 will be displaced by the gas until the aperture 15 in the uppermost chamber 14 is uncovered, when the gas will escape through said aperture, and bubbling up through the water will enter the expansion chamber 2 and pass into the receiving chamber 3, and thence through the tube 4, and drainage bulbs 5, 6, and be discharged from the outlet tube 7 into the housing 8. In this housing it is mixed with air entering through the tube 9 and the mixed air and gas passes out under more or less pressure through the tubular extension 10, whence the mixture is conveyed through a suitable conduit to the flour-treating chamber. The drainage bulbs 5, 6, afford means for collecting moisture which may be mechanically carried up by the gas. If the amount of gas passing through the upper aperture 15 is not sufficient for the treatment desired, the operaval tor, by opening wider the usual valve on the as tank, will permit more of the gas to fiow into the tube 11 until one or more additional apertures 15 are uncovered, and by observing the indicator at intervals, and by the appropriate regulation of the valve on the gas tank, the pressure of the gas in the .tube 11, and the amount of gas escaping therefrom, can be regulated to a nicety and maintained uniform.

It will be apparent that the arrangement of the discharge apertures 15 described Wlll enable the separate lines of bubbles of gas to be quickly seen, as such lines of bubbles will alternate on opposite sides of the indicator tube 11. Hence the observer may see at a lance the number of apertures through wIiich gas is discharging, and thus be enabled to know with certainty the amount of gas which is passing to the flour.

"As chlorin gas is readily absorbed by water, there would be danger of a partial vacuum being formed in the tube 13, when the supply of gas from the tank to said tube had been cut off, by reason of such absorption of the gas, causing water to be sucked ner indicated.

While I have described a desirable form of apparatus embodying the principle of my invention, I wish it understood that the form and arrangement of the bulbs 5, 6, and 12 may be varied, as may also the shape or design of the apparatus, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim-2 1. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination with a. glass container for a liquid, a conduit sealed in said container 1 and adaptedgtobe' connected with a sourceof gas supply under pressure, and for a portion of its length to be submerged in the liquid of said container, the latter portion of the conduit having apertures extending transversely of the wall of the conduit, and

a discharge pipe for conducting the gas from the container 'for use, said pipe communicating with said container above the level of the liquid therein and affording the sole means of escape of the gas from said container.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination with a glass container fora liquid, a conduit sealed in said container and adapted to be connected with a source of gas supply under pressure, and for a portion of its length to be submerged in the liquid of said container, the latter portion of the conduit having two rows of apertures extending longitudinally of the conduit and arranged in alternation on opposite sides thereof, and a discharge pipe communicating with said container above the level of the liquid therein.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, in. combination with a glass container for a liquid, a vertically-disposed conduit sealed in said container and adapted to be connected with a source of gas supply under pressure, and for a portion of its length to be submerged in the liquid of said container, the latter portion of the conduit having two rows of apertures extending longitudinally of the conduit and arranged in alternation on opposite sides thereof, and a discharge pipe communicating with said container above the level of the liquid therein.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination with a glam container for a liquid, a conduit sealed in said container and adapted to be connected with a source of gas supply under pressure, and for a portion of its length to be submerged in the liquid of said container, the latter portion of the conduit having the form ,of a series of connected chambers, each of which is provided with an aperture, said apertures being arranged in two longitudinally-extending rows and in alternation on opposite sides of the conduit, and a discharge pipe communicating with said container above the level of the liquid therein.

5. In an apparatus of the class described,

in combination with a glass container for a I liquid, a vertically-disposed conduit sealed in said container and adapted to be connected with a source of gas supply under pressure, and for a portion of its length to be submerged in the liquid of said container, the latter portion'of the conduit having the form of a series of communicating spherically-shaped chambers, each of which is provided with an aperture, said apertures being arranged in two longitudinally extending rows and in alternation on opposite sides of the conduit, and a discharge pipe communieating with said container above the level of the liquid therein.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination with a glass container for a liquid, a conduit sealed in said container and adapted to be connected with a source of gas supply under pressure, and for a portion of its length to be submerged in the liquid of said container, the latter portion of the conduit having apertures provided throughout its length, adischarge pipe oommunicating with said container, a drainage bulb interposed in the length of said dis- 1 ii I;

and adapted to be connected with a source of gas supply under pressure, and for a portion of its length to be submerged in the liquid of said container, the latter portion of the conduit having apertures provided.

throughout its length, a discharge pipe communica-ting with sald contalner, a housing ERNEST E. WERNER. 

